Thursday, July 11, 2013

Verna Mosquera of The Vintage Spool's style is nothing short of inspiring. We drool over her fabric collections and admire her timeless appliqué quilt patterns. We are thrilled to have her on the blog today to chat about her first book, A Sewn Vintage Lifestyle, which celebrates her romantic and vintage inspired aesthetic. Keep reading for a closer look at her book and a giveaway!

As I prepare for the release of my first book A Sewn Vintage Lifestyle, it seemed fitting to share a bit about the process and a few things I’ve learned along the way.
In 2007 at the International Quilt Market in Houston I had just released my first fabric collection, Sweet Escape for FreeSpirit Fabrics and was approached by F+W Media about writing a book. My company was very young and so were my two sons, so I kept her information and put the book idea on the back burner. A few years later, it all fell into place! Timing is everything, and it is important to wait for a time that is right for you.

The book features 20 charming, useful and beautifully sewn projects for the home that reflect my vintage and romantic inspired aesthetic. The projects range from quilts, (both patchwork and appliqué) to embroidery and simple sewn projects. The task was rather daunting, but I realized it must be how some people feel when they look at one of my appliqué quilts and don’t know where to begin. I decided to take my own advice I often give my students and that was to take it one step at a time.

Writing A Sewn Vintage Lifestyle has been one of the coolest things I have done in my creative career and in the process I have learned a few things. I have learned to take time to smell the roses. Stop, catch your breath, feel good about what you have accomplished. Spend time with those most important to you and spend time doing what you most enjoy.

I feel incredibly blessed to work in a field that I have a tremendous passion for while I raise my two children. A Sewn Vintage Lifestyle is a compilation of all that I have learned along my creative path. It has been quite a journey. My hope is that it will inspire others to create. I am proud and honored to share it.

For a chance to win one of THREE copies of A Sewn Vintage Lifestyle, comment below letting us know how you add a touch of vintage to your life. A winner will be chosen on July 11, 2013. Good luck!

UPDATE, Dee, Peggy and Teachpany are our lucky winners! You have been contacted via Email. Congratulations!

Would the fact that my MIL just gave me a pair of underwear that belonged to my husband when he was a baby for me to use for my son, I think that's pretty vintage, we have a lot of vintage things at our business.

I have old hankerchiefs that were my grandmothers. She had a beautiful one that had a blue heart embroidered on it and I used that as my something blue for my wedding. I also found my mother's engraved cake knife from her wedding to use at mine. Even though they weren't able to attend my wedding, it was nice to have personal touches from them.

OMG, I have a seriouse love of all things vintage, shabby chic roses, love love love it !!! where to start, I keep a little glass vase in my bedroom filled with my moms old jewelry just to name one. Thankyou so much for the chance !!!

Wel my husband likes modern funrniture, but I love the romantic vintage look, I found a compromis about that, the furniture is quit modern I ad assesoires romantic and vintage, that way we have both what we want

Wel my husband likes modern funrniture, but I love the romantic vintage look, I found a compromis about that, the furniture is quit modern I ad assesoires romantic and vintage, that way we have both what we want

What a beautiful collection of projects to sew. I have vintage items scattered through my house, an antique rocking chair, hand crank butter churn, an old fireplace popcorn popper and various other items. I think it makes my house look cozy and warm. Thanks for the winderful giveaway.

I have 3 glass ornaments that go on my tree each year. One was on my dad's first Christmas tree , 87 yrs ago, one from my mom's first tree, 84 yrs ago and one from mine, 62 yrs ago. They are the m8st precious ornaments I have.

One of my favorite vintage sewing things is a hatbox of old spools one of the ladies at church gave me when she gave up sewing due to her failing sight! She could have thrown them away, but I cherish them! Kmfosnaugh@gmail.com

Please don't enter me into the drawing... I already have Verna's lovely book. I love her style! I put doilies on my tables (thrifted) to add a little charm. Verna's fabrics and patterns are gorgeous!!!

I have a bedroom that is decorated in all family antiques. I have made pillows to coordinated with the antique quilt made by my great-grandmother. Love vintage even though the rest of my house is fairly contemporary,

Love the quilts you made. I also love to mix vintage in with my décor. I have been lucky in finding a few vintage quilts from a friend with an antique shop. Oh and I love old kitchen utensils and sewing items.

I am very fortunate to have scraps of fabric from sewing dresses for my mom...alas, she has been gone for quite a few years now. She loved my sewing for her and whenever I use those fabrics in a quilt or project I can think of her and remember her sweet spirit.

I love vintage, chic, and shabby! I have a new home and in the process of decorating! What I can, I am trying to make. I have some purchased items as well....but I love the homemade touch. Thanks for the opportunity!!!

I got my quilting inspiration from my great grandmother, Salt Lake City, Utah. She made a quilt for everyone in her family and I still have mine. I was 10 when I received it and now am 67. I cherish this vintage quilt. I have repurposed my silver plate as vintage décor for my kitchen...so love the look. Thank you for your generous give away.

I have a few of my grandmother's hankies as well as some buttons from her button box. I also have (and use) several of my mom's things from her kitchen. I remember using these items when I was a small child.

Jeanie said...I got my quilting inspiration from my great grandmother, Salt Lake City, Utah. She made a quilt for everyone in her family and I still have mine. I was 10 when I received it and now am 67. I cherish this vintage quilt. I have repurposed my silver plate as vintage décor for my kitchen...so love the look. Thank you for your generous give away.

Actually I have just added a touch of vintage by purchasing a grandmothers garden quilt top .. circa 1930 or before, it is very thin and fragile, and muslin was used for the background .. since it is so fragile and cannot be quilted, I plan to display it in a shadowbox on my sewing room wall ,, This book looks awesome and I love the fabrics, would love to add it to my library .. I love vintage but more the story and history that goes beyond the quilt itself ..

I don't know that I have added anything lately yet just viewing Verna's quilts seems to calm me. Their beauty with the pastel and vivid colors along with the designs add a calmness to my being. Thank you Verna for the lovely quilts. Good luck with your book and thank you for the opportunity to win your book.

I love that I have vintage dishes, crocks, linens, etc throughout my home. I have a scrap-teddy bear made by a friend of mine from a quilt made by my grandmother before I was born. The vintage crock bowls are used everyday in my kitchen and memories touch me each time I use them. I love the look of your site and can imagine how wonderful your book must be. Thank you for allowing me to enter.

i try to turn things into new things. for example, i just made bracelets and earrings out of fabric tape measures and they turned out really cool. i use scrabble tiles for necklaces, rings, keychains and other projects.

i am hoping to add the vintage feel soon with quilting as i am brand new to sewing and am a little intimidated to get started.

I love things from the past. It's great fun to decorate with thrift store vintage finds as well as little modern touches here and there. Your fabrics are gorgeous! thanks for sharing your talent with others! Julie Buchtenkirch

I would make one of the quilts in soft pinks like the one my grandmother made me when I was little. I also have a quilt that my great grandmother made in the late 1800's, but the colors are much darker than the one my grandmother made in late 1950's.

I live in a small, very old house, and I find that vintage items fit better, especially vintage chairs and tables. Of course, tables need table cloths and chairs need slip covers and cushions, and I like to make these in a vintage style as well. Thanks for the chance to win this lovely book.

Most of the furniture in our house has been passed along by parents, grandparents, great aunts and uncles. In fact as I look around the living room I can only see chairs that we actually purchased ourselves! I don't have old things just to look at them, I will use them because that's what they're for. :)

I love to use items that belonged to my grandmother and great aunts, but I also "rescue" vintage potholders, kitchen and table linens, almost any kind of hand stitched or hand made items I come across in antique stores.

I love Vintage. I bought a older more Vintage styled home. I have things that I got from my grandmother and I buy and collect vintage sheets as well. I love to go to thrift shops looking for vintage items. My daughter and I love to go to antique stores also. I have bought a few pieces of older furniture that I have redone.

I have some vintage wooden spools that I'm using to hold binding for quilts. I also have several vintage items from my grandmother as well as my mother and I even have several vintage quilts. Thanks for the chance to win.

I am a first generation quilter. I taught myself how to quilt when I was 17 and now I am 32. I have picked up a few vintage quilts from flee markets and antique shops. But I do hope that my quilts will be passed down and will be known as vintage one day. Brandi Pond @ Peace of me quiltsPeaceofmequilts@gmail.com

My grandmother taught me how to make some patchwork techniques and so i have little details all over the house, like oven holders or bags for the bathroom that are vintage and remembers me of my granny. Thanks for the chance* www.infanta-proudly-handmade.tumblr.com

I love to sew with vintage prints, this line is perfect. I add vintage to my life in little ways, like a coin purse or a table runner. I'd love this book to check out that great tablecloth! Thanks for a chance to win!

My kids would say I am vintage enough (I argue that I am not even old, never mind vintage!), but apart from that I have some of my Grandmothers and her sisters cup saucer and plate sets in a cabinet in my sewing room and I just love looking at them!

I love the colors in the book! So pretty and calming. I love to stop and smell the roses. I love rose and floral print fabrics, too. I've used quite a few in my decorating, including a floral print fabric for my shower curtain, florals in my bed quilt, and blues and florals in the guest room.

I have my grandmothers Cannonsburg brown drip dishes that I use everyday. Thru the years some have gotten broken but I'm always on the lookout for more on E-bay. I also have some aprons from feed sacks that belonged to another grandmother that I use. I love the look and soft colors of vintage fabric.

The book looks amazing. I it just my style, I just finish a tote with vintage fabrics for my daughter for her birthday. I am really wanting to do a quilt with some vintage hankies that belonged to my great Aunt born in 1900. They are beautiful and have beautiful lace and embroidery on them, just don't know where to start.. good luck with your book I am sure it will be very popular. You have lovely things.

I have some vintage pieces through out the house. Most are family items from my grandparents like furniture, dishes, art, etc. One item I still need to get from my mom is a trunk that my ancestors packed when they came to America from Germany. I have always liked vintage items but so much better if it was a family piece.

I have my grandmother's sewing machine. I've never tried to sew with it but I like to lift it out of it's wooden cabinet and look at it now and then. I also have my Great Grandmother's bedroom suite and Christmas ornaments. Thank you for the chance to win this beautiful book.

I love to have things around my home that belonged to mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. I knew all three very well, and they were all very important ladies in my life. I love all they taught me, and having some of their treasures continue to inspire me! Some may think that I'm talking about jewelry or furniture, but I'm not! I'm talking about an old colander (reminds me of time with my grandmother in her kitchen), a large metal tea kettle (reminds me of my great-grandmother and how everyone loved to visit her home), and all kinds of various treasures from my Mom (old letters, favorite pictures). They all remind me of simpler times and inspire me to follow their examples!

I am the first quilter in my family but both my daughters have quilts I have done so hopefully it will be held on by them. I do so like the quilt done in simple squares on point. The color combination is so very good.

I'm all about Vintage. I have my Grandmother's Bedroom set and my Great Aunt's (her sister) Living Room set. Lots of handmade doilies and quilts from the family and treasure them every day. Would love to own one of your lovely books. Thank you.Carol OottersL@pacbell.net

I love to add to my vintage look by shopping at antique shops. I have a collection of English flowered plates hanging on my shabby wallpaper in my bedrooms. A little art, a little ceramic, a little soft fabric hanky in a collection all spell vintage. Stephani in N. TX (Tomazec@aol.com)

My whole home has vintage touches.....from my family and my hubbies family we are the custodians of many treasures.From quilts, linens, dishes to pictures, furniture, toys and tools.....we have been blessed.

I've admired Verna's beautiful designs for years--this looks like a wonderful book. I love decorating with vintage items that I find at flea markets, antique shops, garage sales and even along side the road! I usually repaint or recover to fit into my mostly blue and white decor.

I think I bring vintage to my life with my clothing. I don't purchase vintage clothes, but I like to buy clothing that is in the style of the 50's. I think women's clothing from that era was so much prettier than it is now.

I love vintage things in my home. From my grandmother's sleigh bed to her cookie cutters and my grandfather's scale and printer's tray (he had his own print shop in the basement), i am surrounded with wonderful vintage pieces.